Fireproof block.



UNITED STATES Patented February '7, 1905.

PATENT CEETCE.

RICHARD B. SHELDCN AND CHARLES H. NESSELROAD, CF STUART, 101V A.

FIREPROOF BLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,746, dated February7, 1905.

' Application filed May 17,1904. Serial No. 208,399.

To fr/ 11171/0711 it Vm//z/"l/ non/ecrit:

Be it known that we, RICHARD B. SiIELDoN and CHARLES H. NEssELnoAD,citizens oi the United States, residing at Stuart, in the county otlGuthrie and State ot' Iowa, have invented a certain new and usefulFireproot' Block, ot' which the following is a specification.

The objects ot' our invention are to provide a building-block ot'tireproof material which can be so united with adjacent blocks that thejoints between the blocks will be absolutely tireproot', and thesejoints are so constructed that they will be absolutely tight andtireprootl even though the blocks separate slightly from one another.

A further object is to provide buildingblocks particularly adapted it'oruse in chimneys which can be constructed in a single mold, owing to thefact thatall of the corner-v blocks are built exactly alike--that is,the tenon is always on the same side ot' the block and the groove in theblock is always on the same side of it. These blocks are so constructedthat they can be easily connected with each other.

A further object is to provide a tenon which extends around the entireupper portion ot' the block and is designed to enter into amortise inthe lower portion of the block immediately above it.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationof the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more t'ully set forth, pointed out in ourclaims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which*A Figure1 is a perspective view of one of the blocks. Fig. Q isa perspectiveview ot' a portion of a chimney with our blocks in it. Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view of two of the blocks mounted one above theother. Fig. 1 is a moditied form ofthe building-block, showing thatthese blocks may be made of any shape and are as well adapted for use inwalls as in chimneys.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, we have used thereference-numeral to ingles from cach end ot' the body portion andparallel with each other. Extending around the top portion oi' theblock-that is, throughout the entire length ot' the body portion and ofthe flanges 11 and 12 Vis the tenon 13, so shaped as to enter and littightly within a groove 11 in the bottom ot' the block, which is to beplaced immediately above the tenon 13. The groove 11 is so shaped as toreceive the tenon within itand make a lireprootl lioint between theblocks. Cn thc flange 11 and extending vertically ot its outer t'ace isa dovetailed tenon 15. In the outer t'ace ot' the tlange 1Q is adovetailcd groove 16. Said groove is so shaped and otl such size thatone ot' the tenons 15 will enter said groove when it is slid into itfrom the uppcror lower portion ot said groove. '.lhere are two blocksconstructed exactly alike to forni a complete square, such as isnecessary for the chimney shown in Fig. E2. Each ot' the blocks has thedovetailed tenon 15 and the dovetailed groove 16 therein, and each hasthe groove Hand the tenon 13, so that when the blocks are connected witheach other the tenon 15 ot' one block will enter the dovetailed groove16 ot' the other block and the dovetailed groove 16 of thelirstmentioned block will receive the tenon 15 of the second-mentionedblock. '.lhus itwill be seen that the parts will be held tirmly inposition relative to eachother. However, in practical use a slightamountot' mortar is placed on the tenons 15 before they are slipped intotheir mating' grooves 16. W'hen one block is constructed in the mannerabove set out and is held together by tenons and groovesl and 16,respectively, another block is constructed by using the two parts or twoblocks to form a single complete block, and said block is placed uponthe first-mentioned block, so that the groove 11 will receive the tenon13 on the block first constructed, and as in practical use there ismortar spread upon the tenon 13 before the block placed above it is putin position an absolutely tight joint will be made between the blocks,as well as between the two parts ofthe complete block. In order to makethe chimney or wall more solid and the parts dicate the body portion ot'the block, having i thereofI held in position more rigidly relative thetlanges 11 and 1Q extending at right anl to cach other, the bodyportions 10 ot' the up- IOO per blocks are placed immediately above theflanges ll and l2 of' the blocks immediately beneath it, thus holding'said flanges firmly in position relative to each other and alsopreventing' any opening from being made by a slight separation of' saidflanges between the adjacent parts of' the tenons' 13.

In building a wall or in building' a chimney of' large size intermediateblocks comprising a -straight body portion and having the dovetailedtenons l5 at one end, the dovetailed groove 16 at the other end, thetenon 13 at the top, and the g'roove la at the bottom are used, so thatthe wall may be constructed of' any desirable length by the use of theseintermediate blocks. The size, shape, and construction of' these blocksmay be varied, and different kinds of` material may be used in theconstruction, so long as some fireproofl material f'orms the body of'the material used and so long as my particular form of' joint forconnecting the parts of' the block together and the blocks with eachother to hold said blocks one upon the other. In building' a chimney afinishing-block made of' a single piece of' material is preferably used,which Vhas simply the groove la in its bottom portion, so that when thisblock is placed upon the top portion ofl the uppermost blocl; heldtogether by the dovetailed tenon and groove the groove in the bottomportion will receive the tenon 13, and it will cover up the slightamount of space between the dovetailed tenons and grooves, and thusprevent water or any f`oreign substances getting between the parts of'the blocks, and thus prevent the deterioration of' the material usedwhen the blocks are connected with each other.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of' the United States therefor, is-

1. In a building-block made of` fireproof` material, a body portion, aflange connected with each end of the body portion and at right anglesthereto, a dovetailed tenon on the outer f'ace of one of' the flanges, adovetailed groove in the other of' said flanges, a tenon on the top oflthe body portion and the flanges and extending throughout their entirelength, and a groove in thc lower part of the body portion vand theflanges extending' throughout their enthe tenons ofl one of the blocksof' the series i being designed to enter the grooves in mating' blocksin the series.

RICHARD B. SHEL'DON. CHARLES H. NESSELRCAD.

IVitnesses:

O. N. CLARK, F. H. HAR'rsnLL.

